First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
• Finally… reveal the book!

The boy growled, dropped to all fours and took one end of the stick between his teeth. The dog at the stick’s other end – a hefty Alsatian with long ears – bared its gums and slobbered.

Any ideas?

I’ve had Scavengers since it was published in March 2019 which is way too long for it to be sitting on my TBR. In my defence, my TBR is well over 150 books! I’m in the mood for a few dystopian middle-grade books and I think this will be perfect!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Landfill has lived his whole life as a scavenger, running with wooflers, swimming with turtles and feasting on fresh gull. Old Babagoo has always looked after him, on one condition – follow his rules. Never come looking Outside. Never rise above the wall. But despite the dangers, Landfill longs to see Outside. And some rules are made to be broken.

Have you read this? What did you think?

The House of Hidden Wonders is a superbly gripping historical adventure set in a richly detailed and immersive Victorian Edinburgh which immediately captured me in the richly atmospheric and intriguing prologue, and kept me enthralled until the final page.

Zinnie and her little sisters, Nell and Sadie, scrape a meagre living on the streets of Edinburgh, and live in the tunnels beneath it.  Zinnie has taken both of the younger girls, who are orphans, into her heart and is determined to protect them and keep them safe:  the strength of their sisterly bond is beautifully portrayed throughout.  These unbreakable bonds of sisterhood are a strong theme within the story, and the relationships between the sisters was incredibly touching, especially in Zinnie’s absolute commitment to saving her youngest sister when she becomes desperately ill.   

One of the people who gives Zinnie paid jobs is none other than a young medical student, Arthur Conan Doyle.  He treats her with respect and values her opinion, asking for her help in solving a gruesome mystery, but unwittingly puts her in terrible danger as she tries to keep herself one step ahead of the law, and finds herself coming to the attention of a vile villain who will stop at nothing to protect his own secrets …

Zinnie’s life changes forever when she attends a séance being organised by the independently wealthy widow Lady Sarah Montague.  It is not long before she finds herself at the centre of a dark and utterly intriguing mystery: uncovering hidden secrets within the House of Wonders museum;  revealing the true story of the ghost haunting the tunnels; and, uncovering the perpetrator of a crime from the past that has come to the streets of her home … The plot is intricate, action-packed, heart-stopping, and so very, very clever:  I was utterly compelled to follow Zinnie who proves to be a rather brilliant sleuth in her own right.

I absolutely adored Zinnie, who is just the most wonderful young girl.  She is incredibly protective of Nell and Sadie who have become her sisters.  Highly intelligent, fiercely independent and full of courage, Zinnie forges her own path and has an incredible inner strength and tenacity, not afraid to stand up to unscrupulous adults, and fight for those she loves.  She sees past other peoples’ prejudices, and is determined to fight for the rights of others, especially those of another young girl who has found herself being cruelly exploited. The portrayal of this young girl’s condition is beautifully written:  she is a victim, but she is also a fighter and a survivor, but who doesn’t need someone else fighting your corner when the odds are not in your favour?  This is a role that Zinnie fulfils with kindness, ingenuity and great deal of empathy. 

I also loved the portrayal of the strong adult female characters in this story.  Lady Sarah Montague is an independent widow who uses her wealth to fulfil her sense of adventure by undertaking intrepid expeditions, and is quite capable of standing up for herself, and woe betide any man who thinks she should be doing otherwise!  Dr Sophia Jex-Blake is a real historical figure, being the first female doctor in Scotland:  I found the Author’s Historical Note regarding her fascinating.

It was a privilege to read this utterly compelling historical adventure with its inspirational female characters, realistic setting, and gripping plot which kept me turning page after page as I just had to follow the mystery with all of its superb twists and turns.  Sheer brilliance! 

Thank you to the Publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.  It asks three questions:

1.      What are you currently reading?

2.      What did you recently finish reading?

3.      What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m just about to start reading Jungledrop – just as soon as I write a review that I need to get done for tomorrow! I adore Abi’s writing, and absolutely loved the first book in the series, Rumblestar as well as the World Book Day release, Everdark. I’ve heard so many good things about this book, and can’t wait to get started – I think this is a book I will read in one sitting!

I’ve read four fantastic books this week. I finished Crater Lake which was a brilliant read: just the right amount of creepy edging on really scary with a good dollop of humour and heart. I then went completely ‘off’ my reading order and read two books that I’ve been wanting to read for ages. I read the e-book of The Magic Place via my library in one sitting, and it was a truly gorgeous read, if somewhat painful at times as Clementine was treated terribly by her ‘Aunt’ Vermilia and ‘Uncle’ Rufus – such awful characters! The ending was just wonderful – and I loved how Chris Wormell’s gorgeous black and white illustrations became colour! I’ve had The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane on my reading shelf for a while now. Oh my! This is such a beautiful story, and not at all what I was expecting. Edward’s transformation, and the terrible situations he faced, really tore at my heartstrings. Utter brilliance! The final book I read this week was TrooFriend. This was an utterly compelling and fascinating read which raises lots of questions related to AI. I could really sense ominous undertones as I read it, and wasn’t quite sure what way it would go which is a real testament to the talent of the author, Kirsty Applebaum. I will post my review in the next couple of days.

I’ve got quite a lot of books I’m really looking forward to reading on NetGalley, so I think I’m going to read a couple of those next. I’ve chosen The Vanishing Trick which I’ve heard so much about – I’m very excited to start this. I adored Malamander by Thomas Taylor last year, and have been eagerly anticipating the next book in the series from Eerie-on-Sea, Gargantis. Walker Books are now on NetGalley, and I couldn’t resist requesting this one! I’m having a real problem stopping myself from requesting ALL the fantastic middle-grade currently on there!

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these?

I was very excited to receive my signed pre-order of this fantastic book, along with a pin badge, from the publisher, Firefly Press.

But whatever happens they must never, ever, fall asleep!

Crater Lake is a perfect blend of jump-inducing scariness, brilliant characters and fast-paced action laced with a good dollop of humour and warmth!  It kept me gripped and on the edge of my seat from start to finish. 

The Year 6 children of Montmorency School are the first students to stay at the newly opened Crater Lake Activity Centre.  They don’t experience the welcome normally reserved for excited children on a school residential:  their bus is stopped by the figure of a bloodstained man with a warning.  From this point on, the creepiness and fright levels keep on escalating which makes this a truly compelling read. 

On arrival at the Centre, the children soon discover something strange is definitely afoot when they meet the Centre Manager, Digger who seems to be running the Centre on his own.  The tension soon heats up, and the action explodes, as classmates and teachers change in dangerous and frightening ways … will the small group of friends be able to save themselves and their classmates, or will an unknown invader prevail? 

Wow!  The ramping up of the levels of scary from eerie and creepy to downright frightening and gross is brilliantly realised.  I was utterly enthralled by the fast-paced plot from the stifling atmosphere to the pervading sense of danger to the twists and revelations … all combined with humour and heart from a fantastic group of firm friends.

I adored the camaraderie and humour between friends, Lance, Chets, Katja and Big Mak, as well as their new friend, Adrianne, which were incredibly authentic and heart-warming.  They are all brilliantly written with their own strengths and vulnerabilities, and work fantastically well as a supportive team as they fight to survive and protect each other, even if this doesn’t always meet with success.

Lance is an incredibly sympathetic protagonist who I adored.  He may not be the perfect student according to his, to be frank, appalling Assistant Head, but he is a very astute one. He shows himself to have an admirable inner strength, taking charge when needed and keeping his courage in place, despite his fear.  He has a deep desire to keep everyone safe and goes to great lengths to do so, even when this puts him in danger.  I love the way he opens up to his friends about a secret in his life, and how they reciprocate, making their friendship even stronger.

Crater Lake is an absolute triumph of a story with an ingeniously written plot that expertly balances horror, humour and heart.  Perfect reading for Upper Key Stage 2 and beyond.

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
• Finally… reveal the book!

Fox Petty-Squabble flopped onto the sofa in the penthouse suite of the Neverwinkle Hotel. It was the summer holidays – or at least it was supposed to be – but rather than heading to the seaside, or relaxing with a barbeque in their garden, the Petty-Squabble family had descended upon the sleepy village of Mizzlegurg in the Bavarian countryside for a business trip.

Any ideas?

If you’ve read the wonderful Rumblestar, the first book in The Unmapped Chronicles series, you’ll probably have guessed this book from the incredibly inventive names! I was lucky enough to get a proof copy so am really looking forward to reading this one soon.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The second novel in Abi Elphinstone’s new series, The Unmapped Chronicles, takes readers to the magical kingdom of Jungledrop! A breath-taking adventure story, that’s also about being kind – to others, to our planet and, perhaps hardest of all, to ourselves.

Oh, me greedy aunt!  Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale is an utterly glorious return to Starfell, following on from the first in this spell-binding series, Willow Moss and the Lost Day.  It is a story which completely enchanted me from start to finish with its magical world-building, warm humour, action-packed plot and truly wonderful characters.

Willow Moss, a young witch with the ability to find lost things, receives a leaf-mail letter from her friend, Nolin Sometimes, to tell her that he will be kidnapped in less than ten minutes!  No problem!  Willow can find lost things!  Problem?  Willow is having some difficulty with her magic and things are more likely to disappear than appear!

Willow seeks help from her much more powerful family but, unfortunately, they think she is being delusional as they can’t remember anything that happened during the Lost Day – a Tuesday to be precise – you’ll need to read the first brilliant book, Willow Moss and the Lost Day to find out more!  Please do – it’s a brilliant read too!

A rather unsupportive family can’t hold Willow back for long.  She is a very loyal friend and one very determined and brave young girl, so she sets out with her best friend Oswin, the cat – I mean, kobold – to get help from the most powerful witch, Moreg Vaine.  Things don’t go quite according to plan and so begins an incredible adventure with new and old friends, an adventure brimming with discoveries, dangers and twists – and a bathtub boat! The plot really is just so very clever:  it twists and turns as it wanders through Starfell and into a dark new land where a sinister enemy awaits … but will it be too late to save Nolin?

The world-building is truly superb with gorgeously rich and beautiful description, painting a world that completely fascinated me from the Tower to Wisperia to Netherfell to Library!  Oh Library! I so want to visit Library! Living in this world are a brilliant assortment of both new and known characters who enchant, endear and frighten … reading this story really does feel like greeting old friends again, and getting to know new ones. 

And then there is Willow … she is an incredibly endearing young girl:  she is dealing both with her own grief, and her family’s lack of faith in her, yet she doesn’t let this deter her from immediately going to the aid of her friend.  She is kind-hearted, courageous even when overcome with fear and incredibly resilient.  She has a real sense of justice and fairness and engenders deep loyalty and friendship from others.  Willow is willing to put her faith in others, and is tolerant of differences.  What a completely amazing young girl who is a brilliant role model for younger readers.

It felt wrong to mistrust someone just because they were a little different.

And then there is Oswin … I NEED to dedicate a whole paragraph to Oswin who is my absolute favourite animal character – ever!  He is DEFINITELY not a cat (although he does look rather like one – just don’t tell him I said so!) and he’s just brilliant:  sharp-witted, hilarious with the best one-liners and a rare talent for insults – with an interesting turn of phrase!  He even has his own Oswin to English Dictionary, but I’m such a fan, I didn’t need it as I TOTALLY understood him!  Despite his tetchiness, he is deliciously adorable, and an incredibly loyal friend.  Fear and complaints may be ever present, but he always comes through when needed.  I SO want an Oswin! 

Sarah Warburton’s illustrations are stunningly glorious – from the dustjacket to the hardback cover to the black and white illustrations interspersed throughout the book!  I mean, they really are just incredible:  a perfect complement to a perfect story!

Everyone, regardless of age, should treat themselves to this heart-warming, enchanting story filled with adventure, warmth and humour:  a treasure of a story that sparkles with a special kind of magic that captures and holds the reader under its spell!

Thank you to the publisher Harper Collins and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.  I have also bought a signed hardback book which was released slightly earlier than the publication date of 2^nd April.

Viper’s Daughter is an astoundingly rich, immersive and thrilling adventure that utterly gripped me from start to finish, skilfully drawing me into the Stone Age world with characters I adored, feared and feared for.  This is a stunning masterpiece of powerful, evocative storytelling at its absolute best:  it swept me into the world, enthralled me, emotionally drained me but, ultimately, left me wholly satisfied.

The story opens right in the heart of a terrible discovery:  Torak’s mate, Renn, has deceived him, and has left him and her wolf-pack behind.  Even though he is angry and hurt, he is determined to find her as she is his life, so begins a journey from his Forest home to the Far North and the very Edge of the World in search of Renn and the truth … a journey laden with palpable tension, heart-stopping danger, seeming betrayal and incredible revelations.

Torak is not alone on this journey:  his pack-brother, Wolf is a constant companion.  Wolf and Torak have an incredibly close bond, being able to communicate with each other.  Whilst Torak does not want Wolf to leave his mate and cubs, Wolf cannot bear to be separated from Torak, so he makes the ultimate sacrifice:  leaving his mate and cubs behind for their safety whilst he journeys with Torak, willing to take great risks to defend him, even when he does not fully understand the choices and decisions that Torak makes:  theirs is a powerful instinctive bond, steeped in great love for each other which I found very moving.

Renn is running from Torak as she fears that, if she stays with him, she will be the cause of his death, and this she couldn’t bear.  She is forced to inflict great emotional pain on Torak in order to protect him.  The emotional turmoil she suffers, and the hardship she bears, as she journeys to find answers is heart-breaking. 

Whilst on her journey, she dreams of her mother, the Viper Mage:  is she warning her of danger, or leading her towards it?  Renn is unwittingly drawn into the machinations of a great evil that tears her and Torak apart again and again, and threatens to unleash great harm on the world:  will she realise the awful deception that has been played on her before it is too late?  

The world-building is superb and multi-layered, giving a fascinating insight into the landscape, the belief system and the lifestyle of the Stone Age clans.  There is so much depth to this world that I really felt a part of it whilst I was in the story:  it gave me the opportunity to assimilate the culture and deepen my understanding of this engrossing pre-historical period.  The majesty and harshness of the frozen, untamed landscape was viscerally provoked; the depiction of the lifestyle of the different Clans felt incredibly authentic; and, the invocation of the Clan belief system, with its affinity with animal spirits, captured me wholeheartedly. 

The relationship between Renn and Torak tore at my heartstrings: witnessing their anguish, and what they had to endure was heart-breaking, and honestly brings more tears as I write.  I am in awe of their strength, courage and resilience, and of their unfailing commitment to keep the other safe no matter the cost.

Viper’s Daughter is undoubtedly a triumph:  a compelling, emotive adventure into an ancient, fascinating past which captured me from the opening lines. 

Thank you to Zephyr and ed public relations for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.  It asks three questions:

1.      What are you currently reading?

2.      What did you recently finish reading?

3.      What do you think you’ll read next?

My reading has been very poor this week. I’m adapting to a completely new style of teaching, and going in to school on rota to look after key workers’ children. I’m really missing my class – even more so after they’ve been sending me lots of wonderful pictures and videos of them helping out with cooking. I’m just about to start Crater Lake which I know I’m going to love.

I’ve finished reading Starfell: Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale which was just magical. Oswin’s grouchiness and insults are just what I needed! I’m writing up my review, and will post in a day or so.

I’ve really been enjoying reading middle-grade sci-fi, so I’m going to read Troofriend next which I’ve read super reviews about.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

A Treason of Thorns is a completely absorbing, magical read with a beautifully lyrical style which swept me into its enchantment from the start.

As a young child, Violet witnesses the incarceration of her father and best friend in her beloved home, Burleigh House, one of the six Great Houses of England all of which have a magical power which has been bound to the King.  Her father, its Caretaker, commits an act of treason against the Crown in attempting to unbind his House hence leading to his incarceration and death. 

News of his death brings seventeen-year-old Violet back to Burleigh House which is in desperate decline and in danger of losing control of its magic and unleashing it into the surrounding countryside, causing devastation.  This leads her into a desperate attempt to save it from destruction, throwing herself into great danger as she risks everything to save the House, a House she loves, but at what cost to herself?

The premise of this story is utterly fascinating as Violet has an intense symbiotic bond with the House which at times is laced with an insidious darkness edging on parasitic which kept me on tenterhooks throughout.  Violet’s love and loyalty towards the House is all-encompassing – almost!  On her return to Burleigh, she is reunited with her childhood best friend Wyn.  Childhood feelings develop into much more as Violet fights to save the house and Wyn fights to protect her from the House’s magic.  Together with Wyn and the most unlikely but wonderful allies, Violet embarks on the continuation of her father’s plan to save Burleigh, but will her fate be any different to her father’s?

Violet is a truly wonderful protagonist.  She is determined to save the House to which she is devoted:  a House whose pain and rage she feels, whose memories she watches, whose magic she absorbs.  She shows admirable strength, courage and intuitiveness in defending it against the machinations of the King who is determined to control or destroy it.  However, she also struggles with her loyalty towards the House as she makes uncomfortable discoveries; as she is forced to make impossible choices; and as her heart is pulled in two different directions.  This bittersweet need to reconcile her two great loves leads to divided loyalties and makes for some very poignant moments.

A Treason of Thorns is a wonderfully original and enchanting story which completely enthralled me as I was immersed in the magic, danger and love which seeped from its pages.

Thank you to the publishers, Chicken House Books, for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.  It asks three questions:

1.      What are you currently reading?

2.      What did you recently finish reading?

3.      What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m currently reading the gorgeous Starfell Willow Moss and the Forgotten Tale which I am really enjoying. I’d forgotten how absolutely adorable Oswin is! This is definitely the perfect book to take my mind off all the other things that are going on at the minute!

I’ve only managed to read one book this week, but it was a good one! The House of Hidden Wonders is such an intriguing read with the most wonderful cast of strong female characters – and sinister villains! I absolutely loved this one!

My signed pre-order of Crater Lake arrived this week, so I’m going to read it next. I’ve read so many good reviews of this one, so I’m looking forward to it – although might need to sleep with the lights on afterwards.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?